Store owner Sue Carey laid out a beautiful spread of afternoon treats for her 100+ mesmerized and giggling guests. She even arranged for a birthday cupcake with a candle, as a surprise for Moscow Ballet dancer Vladimir Trystan! (Vladimir was joined at the event by fellow dancers Nataliya Miroshnyk and Anastasia Kazakova.)

Random winners received Moscow Ballet’s cuddly Valentin Bear and Capezio’s stunning ballet posters, while Capezio’s Master Pointe Shoe Designer and Fitter Paul Plesh was on-hand to fit each Moscow Ballet dancer with their own set of pointe shoes for the 2012 tour. Young dancers and their parents watched closely, asking many questions about the (still handmade!) process.

This was the first of over 20 in-store appearances with Moscow Ballet soloists and Capezio’s Paul Plesh. Look for coming announcements of which dance stores and cities they will visit this summer and fall, and for your chance to meet ‘n greet a Moscow Ballet ballerina!

Capezio Senior Product Line Manager Paul Plesh began his classical ballet training at the age of 13 at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and in 1973 was invited to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. In 1977 he joined Boston Ballet for its 1977-78 season and performed on world tours, traveling to China, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Israel, and more. In 1984, Paul was named as the Director of Wardrobe for Boston Ballet. His original costume designs include George Balanchine’s Bouree Fantasque. Alfred Terlizzi, President of Capezio Ballet Makers, invited Paul to join the organization in 1989 and since then he has travelled extensively throughout the nation individually fitting pointe shoes, and designing and introducing new pointe shoes.

Moscow Ballet soloistNataliya Miroshnyk is known to many student dancers across the country as their “Nutcracker teacher.” She is a soloist with the company and Audition Director, traveling across the US and Canada training student dancers to perform alongside the company of 40 Russian professionals in the 20th Anniversary tour of the Great Russian Nutcracker.

Anastasia Kazakova is also a Moscow Ballet soloist, joining the company on its 2011 North American tour. She is in the US this summer teaching Moscow Ballet’s education program, “New Horizons—A Children’s Program for Life” to 1,800 elementary school children.

Vladimir Trystan has been a soloist with Moscow Ballet for over a decade. He joins his fellow Moscow Ballet Masters in teaching the “New Horizons” educational program this summer.